Loaded oatmeal cookie energy bites are a quick and healthy portable snack option that satisfies every craving! Just as the name suggests, they’re “loaded” with ingredients that are both delicious and nutrient-dense.
Oh my goodness these are delicious. I know I tend to get overly excited about all of my recipes (I only post things I personally love and eat) but these are on another level. Seriously.
I mean, can you really go wrong with ingredients like this?
Since having a baby I’m all about the one-handed, nutrient-dense snacks. Whether it’s homemade granola bars, muffins/quick breads or some sort of oatmeal energy bites like these, I always need something that I can easily grab between nursing sessions. Especially in the middle of the night when snacks serve two purposes – keeping hunger at bay and keeping me awake!
Oatmeal energy bites are essentially oats mixed with your favorite nuts/seeds, dried fruit, etc. which is held together with a mix of nut butter and sweetener. The flavor possibilities are endless.
This loaded oatmeal cookie version has quickly become a regular in my rotation because I can’t get enough of the sweet/salty combination and they are so satisfying to eat. Like a cookie, but with way more substance.
As a bonus, these come together fast. You don’t have to chill the mixture before rolling like you do with similar recipes. It’s also easy to scale if you want to make a big batch and freeze half for later. Trust me when I say the “freezer” batch won’t stay in there for long though.
Ingredients
I keep a well-stocked supply of nuts, seeds and dried fruit in my pantry. Feel free to sub your personal favorite ingredients if you don’t have all of these things on hand.
- Old-fashioned rolled oats
- Golden raisins (I prefer the flavor and texture of these over regular raisins)
- Chocolate chips (I use a mix of white and semi-sweet and loved this combo)
- Crushed pretzels, pretzel thins, or even peanut butter stuffed pretzels. YES.
- Hemp hearts (can sub chia or flax)
- Finely shredded unsweetened coconut
- Peanut butter (try almond, cashew or sunflower to mix it up)
- Honey
- Cinnamon
- Vanilla extract
These really couldn’t be simpler. While I used to mix these by hand, I pretty much exclusively use the food processor to make oatmeal balls now and let me tell you, there’s no going back. It chops while it mixes and just speeds things up so much.
Hello, beautiful.
Do you love oatmeal bites too? If so, what flavor combination is your personal favorite?
You might also love:
PrintLoaded Oatmeal Cookie Energy Bites
Loaded oatmeal cookie energy bites are a quick and healthy portable snack option that satisfies every craving! Just as the name suggests, they’re “loaded” with ingredients that are both delicious and nutrient-dense.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 12–14 oatmeal balls 1x
- Category: Snacks
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 2 Tbsp unsweetened coconut flakes (or finely shredded)
- 2 Tbsp hemp hearts
- 1/4 cup crushed pretzels, pretzel thins or peanut butter stuffed pretzels
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- optional: pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips (I used a mix of white and semi-sweet)
- 1/4 cup golden raisins or dried cherries
Instructions
- Add oats through cinnamon to a food processor and pulse a few times until everything is evenly chopped up. Then add peanut butter, honey, vanilla and salt. Continue to pulse (scraping down sides as needed) until it resembles a thick and chunky dough.
- Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in the chocolate chips and raisins (I sometimes use clean hands for this step).
- Use a 1.5 Tbsp scoop to portion mixture in balls, and roll between your hands.
- Enjoy immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Notes
- The equipment section above provides affiliate links to things I use often in my kitchen and love.
- These are best stored in the refrigerator. Eat within one week or freeze.
- Sub any nut butter for the peanut butter.
- Make vegan: use pure maple syrup instead of the honey and be sure to use dairy-free chocolate chips.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 oatmeal ball
- Calories: 134 calories
- Fat: 7 grams
- Carbohydrates: 17 grams
- Fiber: 2 grams
- Protein: 3 grams
This post was originally published in July 2020. The recipe was updated in March 2023.
Want More Plant-Forward Recipes?
Join my VIP list and I'll send you five reader favorites! Healthy, flavor-packed recipes. What's not to love about that?
Lindsey says
Crowd favorite – everyone loves these, they are so easy to make and delicious!!
Leanne says
I’m glad these were a hit. Thanks for taking the time to leave a rating and review!